Fast Forward to Snuggling?

Izumi Aimi loved being hugged by her sister. When she was younger, it was like a child asking for affection, but as she grew into a beautiful young lady, her once playful requests for hugs now carried an extra layer of emotion.

Kotomi originally intended to lift Aimi up in the usual way, as if hugging a child, but before she could act...

A rich, elegant scent of rose filled her nose, and two soft arms wrapped around her. Kotomi's body instantly tensed up, reacting instinctively.

Normally, it was always Kotomi who initiated the hugs with Aimi.

The air seemed to freeze.

Though the atmosphere didn't require words, Kotomi, feeling her dry lips—perhaps from not drinking water for too long—cleared her throat and slightly broke the mood with a question:

"Uh… Aimi, did you change your body wash?"

However, the rose scent on Aimi's body did smell quite pleasant.

"Silly sister."

"Mm, yes, I'm just your silly sister~" Kotomi chuckled softly, gently stroking Aimi's back.

To an older sister, her younger sibling would always be the adorable little one who loved to snuggle.

But... a few minutes later...

Wait a second, what's going on here? Why is Aimi still hugging me and not letting go? And starting a while ago, something soft has been pressed against my chest. From the shape, I can clearly tell what it is.

Kotomi remained outwardly calm, but inside, she started to panic a little.

She wasn't too confident in her own rationality. If this hug continued, her self-control might just crumble!

"Aimi? Aren't you hugging a little too tight...?" Kotomi, in a slightly shaky voice that hinted she was losing control, tried to get Aimi to loosen her grip.

"..."

Rub rub.

Rub rub rub rub.

Rub rub rub rub rub...

Instead of letting go, Aimi began nuzzling against Kotomi's neck and chest, making soft sounds like a kitten seeking affection.

Kotomi was dumbfounded. Was this fast-forwarding to snuggling!?

After what seemed like enough nuzzling, Aimi finally lifted her head. Her face was flushed, her breath warm and slightly uneven, and her beautiful eyes gazed at Kotomi in a daze.

"Kotomi, shall we sleep together tonight?"

Oh no, big trouble!

She's not calling me 'Onee-chan' anymore, just 'Kotomi'! Memories of that night rushed into Kotomi's mind, and alarm bells started ringing.

Just as Kotomi's face turned a shade of red, and she hesitated between resisting or surrendering...

Chu~

Aimi, with a playful smile, lifted Kotomi's hand and gave it a gentle kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water.

"Just a little joke~" Aimi said, releasing Kotomi and leaving the room, humming a cheerful tune.

On Kotomi's hand, a faint shimmer of saliva remained. No doubt, Aimi had deliberately left it there.

Aimi's advances were becoming more intense.

…

Friday arrived quickly.

Friday afternoons were always a joy for students because the next two days were the weekend.

Another weekend, yay!

"The general process for the competition is like this. Izumi Kotomi, Hibiki Naegi, and Shiina Mashiro—you three are the only students from our school participating in the National Youth Art Competition. Although our numbers are much smaller compared to other high school art clubs, the competition isn't a group battle. Numbers don't guarantee success. Whether or not you win depends entirely on your individual work. Starting next week, you three should focus on preparing for the competition. Be sure to use this weekend to decide on your theme for the competition piece."

As the end of the school day approached, Shizuka Hiratsuka had called Kotomi, Naegi, and Mashiro into her office. She handed them each a printed schedule and gave them one last reminder.

"Especially you, little Kotomi~ I've noticed that you haven't settled on a theme all week. Even though there's still plenty of time before the deadline, don't slack off! It's like those high school boys who think they have plenty of time to ask out a girlfriend, but because they're too shy to confess, they keep telling themselves that they have three years to work up the courage. And before they know it, they've graduated without ever finding a girlfriend."

At this point, Chihiro Sengoku, who had been lazily napping at her desk, sat up with a sleepy, drunken look on her face.

No doubt, she had drunk alcohol with her lunch again.

"Hey… you're a teacher, so maybe you shouldn't be encouraging students to date," Hiratsuka said, covering her face in exasperation.

"Why shouldn't I? Why not encourage it!? You all need to remember—if you like someone, go for it! Or else you'll end up like me, crying over the fact that I still don't have a partner." Sengoku dramatically lamented.

"My cousin is already thirty and still hasn't dated anyone. That's what my mom told me," Mashiro whispered to Kotomi.

It wasn't meant to be, but at this moment, Mashiro's words landed like a critical strike right on Chihiro's heart.

Not only did she mention Sengoku's age, but the precise detail of "thirty" maxed out the critical damage.

A strike with 999 layers of critical impact—pure, inescapable agony.

"It's not thirty! I'm twenty-nine years and fifteen months old!" Sengoku shouted, then pointed at Hiratsuka. "Shizuka's the real thirty-year-old here. I, Chihiro Sengoku, will forever be the youthful beauty of twenty-nine!"

"I just turned twenty-nine and twelve months!"

"Tch, stop acting young."

"You really have the nerve to talk about me?" Hiratsuka snapped back.

You're both the same! Kotomi and Hibiki thought to themselves.

Ignoring the two teachers who were bickering, the three students politely said goodbye and left the office.

"Starting next week, we'll be busy with the art competition. Let's work hard together!" Naegi said cheerfully to Kotomi and Mashiro once they were outside.

As the art club president, this was her moment to show leadership.

"We'll do our best," Mashiro nodded, her small fist clenched, seemingly full of determination.

"Whoever wins the competition has to treat the others to dinner!" Kotomi said with a playful grin, clearly relaxed and not showing any signs of nervousness about the upcoming event.

"Deal. What do you want? Kaiseki cuisine?" Naegi asked confidently.

"Oh~ Naegi-senpai, you sound so sure of yourself. Are you already thinking of yourself as the winner?" Kotomi teased.

"Hmph! My mom taught me that there's no point in false modesty. When the time comes to show your talent, you have to go all out!" Naegi admitted with a grin.

The competition was much more exciting with rivals!

"Well then, Naegi-senpai, get ready for me to treat you."

"Ara ara, how about I treat you~"

The two girls exchanged lighthearted banter with smiles, while Mashiro quietly ate her baumkuchen on the side, watching them.

After some playful back-and-forth, Naegi went over the details of the competition once more, particularly stressing the deadline for submissions.

There had been several past instances where students finished their artwork but missed the submission deadline, and Naegi was determined to avoid that happening this time.

Once everything was clarified, Naegi checked the time on her phone and said, "It's almost time for the first-year students to be dismissed. You two should head back to class. Second-years like me finish ten minutes later than you."

"Goodbye, Naegi-senpai."

"Goodbye, senpai."

"Bye-bye."

After parting ways, Kotomi and Mashiro returned to Class 1-F, and Naegi headed back to Class 2-B.

"Kotomi, are you going to meet with the manga editor today?" Mashiro asked quietly as she packed her bag.

"Yeah, I'll be taking the train to Chiyoda District in a bit."

Mashiro, filled with admiration, glanced at Kotomi and said, "I'm almost finished with my manga. I'll show it to you once it's done."

"Sounds good."

After leaving the school, Kotomi didn't walk home with Kato Megumi like she usually did, since she was headed to Tokyo today.

However, Kotomi soon realized that Yui Yuigahama was walking in the same direction as her.

"Yui!" Kotomi called out to the girl walking ahead.

Surprised, Yui turned around and said, "Kotomi? Why are you going this way today?"

"I could ask you the same. You usually don't take this route to your family's cake shop after school."

Smiling wryly, Yui explained, "Since there's a sports event going on, the kindergarten had a holiday yesterday, but I still had school. My mom is busy with the cake shop and doesn't want my little sister, Yuka, home alone, so I'm off to pick her up from daycare."

"I'm heading to Tokyo for an errand."

With that, the two understood why their paths were aligned.

After all, the daycare and the train station were in the same direction in Chiba City.